Useful facts about onions

We have gathered information on onions. Research reports, newspaper articles and other interesting facts that are useful to know about this amazing vegetable.

Preventing cancer with onions

Do you find that onions and garlic are absolutely indispensable in cooking? Then there is good news, because it has been shown that only 10 grams is enough to effectively protect against stomach cancer, which is the fourth most common cancer in the world. More is not necessary to reduce the risk by 30 percent, according to the researchers play in this context no matter how you cook the onion and garlic.

It shows a study with more than 520 000 participants from 10 European countries, the biggest of its kind. It is not the first time that researchers demonstrate a relationship between onion and reduced cancer risk. Previously, US researchers have shown that extracts from onions inhibit the growth of liver and colon cancer cells.

Both onions and garlic are generally very beneficial ingredients. Onions contain particular antioxidant quercetin, which protects against cancer and blood clots. Garlic contains a sulfur-containing substance, alliin, which is converted to allicin when the onion is baled or chopped. Allicin prevent atherosclerosis, lower blood pressure and protect against blood clots and cancer.

Source: International Journal of Cancer • From THE FORM No. 14, 2006
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Onions reduces the risk of cancer

Stop sniffling when you are chopping onions. The sulphurous substances which may tear ducts overflow may protect against at least nine types of cancer, including breast, uterus, stomach, prostate and rectal cancer. And almost as healthy and it is closely related substance that gives garlic its characteristic aroma.
It reports an internationally renowned research team from the Mario Negri Institute in Milan after having surveyed the eating habits of nearly 10,000 cancer patients in Italy and Switzerland. These were compared with 15,000 healthy individuals eating habits.

The conclusion is that high intake of onion significantly reduced the risk for all cancers studied, and even garlic had protective effect.
The group that ate the most onions reduced the risk of cancer of the mouth and throat by 84 percent. At the same time reduced the risk of colorectal cancer by 56 percent, cancer of the cardia by 88 percent, for a kind of throat cancer by 83 percent and breast cancer by 25 percent. At the same time reduced the risk of cancer of the uterus, prostate and kidney by 73, 71 and 31 percent.
– It is absolutely gorgeous results. I am surprised by the extremely strong effect, but it also surprised that the effect of onion appears to be stronger than garlic, says Alicja Wolk, professor at the Karolinska Institute.
She points out that the study is very large and that virtually all the results that the group reported for the onion is statistically significant. The effect of garlic is slightly weaker, with between 10 and 57 percent reduced risk of various cancers, and not as confident.

In an article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicates the researchers that it has been difficult to assess exactly how much garlic, than the amount of onion, as the study subjects ate.
– There is always an inherent risk of error reporting when you ask people to describe their eating habits. Now we must try to repeat these results with an even better design, says Alicja Wolk.
To obtain the strongest effect required on average 80 grams onion per day which corresponds to a medium onion. Fully as much do not eat Swedes in general, but also a lower intake had no effect.
– This is very interesting. I almost wanted to throw me over this immediately and do their own analysis of our Swedish data material, said Alicja Wolk.

Onions have been cultivated for at least 5000 years and has long been surrounded by health rumors, not least for its rich content of antioxidants. Despite amounts of less effort there has been no large studies of people around lökväxternas effect on cancer. For example, there are more than 100 studies on the high-profile topic lycopens effect on prostate cancer, but only a tenth on the garlic effect, even though the latter seems to be stronger.
Last spring came as a report from the major European Epic project, which follows the 521 457 people in ten countries to map the link between diet and cancer. It was concluded that an increased intake of onions and garlic with 10 grams could reduce the risk of a type of stomach cancer by 30 percent. But the 400 cases studied was too small to safely dissipate the fogs.

The Italian researchers now suspect that it is primarily various sulfur compounds that could explain the effect. They have already been singled out as particularly salubrious. Partly by unions stimulates detoxification enzymes in the liver, and they have an antibiotic effect that is considered to counteract stomach cancer.
The onion probably contribute also known as flavonoids to a high antioxidant activity, the researchers reason.
– The advantage is that anyone who does not want to wait until the results are confirmed in new studies can start eating a little more onion, even now, in the sauce, in a saucepan or raw in a salad. Onions are cheap, cultivated in Sweden and there is no danger in eating a lot more than possibly bad breath, says Alicja Wolk.

Source: SvD.se, December 16 2006same day payday loans

Onion prevents cancer

At least one medium yellow onion a day reduces the risk for nine types of cancer by between 25 and 88 percent (Note: relative risk). The eating habits of about 10,000 cancer patients in Italy and Switzerland, compared with 15,000 healthy individuals eating habits. The conclusion is that high intake of onion significantly reduced the risk for all cancers studied. Garlic has a protective effect by 10 to 57 percent reduced risk of various cancers. Loks positive cancer effect is probably due to sulfur compounds, which stimulate the detoxification enzymes in the liver and has an antibiotic effect, as well as flavonoids high antioxidant activity.

Scores of smaller trials have shown loks effect against cancer, but this is the first major study on humans. The report last spring from the European Epic project (which studies the link between diet and cancer in 521,457 people in ten countries) showed that increased intake of onions and garlic with 10 grams could reduce the risk of a type of stomach cancer by 30 percent. But the 400 cases studied which were too few. Now the results are statistically significant due to the large base in the investigation.

The results of the Italian research team led by Carlotta Galeone published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 84 (5): 1027-1032, 2006.

I wrote about the bulb healthy effects in 2000 in the cuisine of the self-healing man:

The bulbs of garlic, onion, red onion, leek and chive several are excellent medicinal plants because they contain a number of substances with a therapeutic effect. The very substantial löklukten will they contain sulfur-containing essential oils. For example, antioxidants such as quercetin, substances that lower cholesterol, flavonoids and sulfur that appears cancer-inhibiting and natural antibiotic that helps with colds and bronchitis.

NOTE! The strongest antioxidant is quercetin, found in, among other things, onion, apple peel and broccoli. It is almost five times as powerful as vitamin C and vitamin E.

Tips to reduce the formation of gas in the intestines when you eat onions:
Buy organic onion, remove the light green innermost part of the bulb and it can be good to parboil the onion easily by heating with butter o some water in a pot or pan.